Part 1 - Artificial Intelligence for Financial Innovation
The conference "Artificial Intelligence for Financial Innovation" took place on 19 May 2026, in the Press Room of the House of Representatives in Rome. This was the final meeting in the second edition of “Towards Financial Culture (TFC25)”, dedicated to the role of artificial intelligence in transforming the financial sector.
The initiative was conducted in partnership with UNINT (University of International Studies of Rome); Rome Diplomacy (c.f. https://romediplomacy.com); CeSFFI (Centre for Fiscal Study and International Finance); and Bruno-Pavlov & Partners S.r.l., Public Affairs & Advocacy.
The event brought together academics, financiers, technology innovation experts, NGOs, and industry players to discuss the prospects of AI applied to financial markets, algorithmic trading, data management, and new decision-making models.
Mrs. Maria Gabriella Mieli, Head of External and International Relations of the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) Italy and UPF Southern Europe Coordinator, was invited by Dott. Andrea Stranieri, lawyer and co-founder of Rome Diplomacy. Mrs. Mieli was also representing UPF International, an NGO in a General Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), since UPF has the International Association for Economic Development (IAED) in its portfolio.
Dr. Damiano Perrons, TFC’s President, opened the meeting by emphasising the importance of financial literacy and technological innovation as strategic tools for addressing contemporary economic challenges. In his message, citing AI as one of the main drivers of financial market transformation, he also strongly recommended to "beware of confusing a tool with those who use it. Intuition, responsibility, and the human ability to understand the realities behind the markets can never be replaced".
The direction of TFC25 was entrusted to Prof. Vincenzo Carbone who led the debate between the speakers and the audience.
Spokespersons included Professor Roberto Navigli, Professor of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, a pioneer in computational linguistics; Professor Stefano Simone Galiani, Professor of Econometrics for Financial Markets, derivatives trader, and Generative AI Research Fellow; and Dr. Giovanni Lapidari, financial analyst, trader, and trading software developer.
The meeting addressed topics related to the impact of artificial intelligence on financial systems, the evolution of predictive tools, ethical and regulatory implications, and the opportunities offered by intelligent automation in economic and decision-making processes.
Particular attention was paid to the relationship between technological innovation and institutional responsibility, highlighting the need for informed governance of AI in the financial sector.
The symposium, which was streamed live through the channels of the House of Representatives, attracted significant interest from the public and industry professionals, confirming the growing importance of the topic in the national economic and institutional debate as well as the interest in this financial literacy programme, launched only two years ago.
At the end of the event, two of the organising partners expressed their desire to collaborate with UPF in the future.
Part 2 - Artificial Intelligence may rule finance, but who rules Artificial Intelligence?
Between technological innovation and human responsibility, the future of the economy will depend on the ability to combine efficiency, transparency, and the common good. Artificial intelligence is rapidly entering decision-making processes in finance, investments, and risk management. However, to what extent can we trust algorithms with decisions that impact people's lives?! The conference "Artificial Intelligence for Financial Innovation", held in the Press Room of the House of Representatives in Rome, on 19 May 2026, addressed these questions by bringing together scholars, professionals, and institutional representatives. The Universal Peace Federation (UPF) was also invited and was represented by Mrs. Maria Gabriella Mieli, Head of External and International Relations of UPF-Italy and UPF Southern Europe Coordinator. After various special guests gave their speech, the following important factors were agreed upon.
A first point of reflection that emerged from the debate concerns the relationship between efficiency and reliability. While algorithms can greatly accelerate decision-making systems, there remains a need to verify the accuracy of the information processed and the robustness of the results obtained. In the financial sector, where even a small error can have significant consequences, human oversight continues to play a vital role.
A second, particularly in-depth, aspect concerns the use of artificial intelligence in risk assessment systems. Thanks to the ability to process enormous amounts of data from diverse sources, AI systems can help improve forecasting, enabling more efficient management of financial risks and more accurate resource allocation. This evolution could produce significant benefits for both professional operators and investors, promoting greater market stability and more effective identification of critical issues.
A third element that emerged concerns training. Artificial intelligence is indeed changing not only the tools used, but also the skills required of future professionals. A point was taken on the need to develop interdisciplinary training programmes capable of integrating economics, computer science, statistics, law, and ethics, thus overcoming the traditional separation between disciplines.
According to the speakers, the real challenge lies not simply in learning how to use new technologies, but in understanding the context in which they operate and their impact on society.
Ample space was also devoted to the ethical and regulatory implications of artificial intelligence. Indeed, the automation of decision-making systems raises increasingly important questions regarding transparency, accountability, and the protection of fundamental rights. If an algorithm makes decisions that impact credit granting, risk assessment, or asset management, who is responsible for any negative consequences? What tools must be in place to ensure human oversight? How can we prevent biases in the data from being replicated and amplified by intelligent systems? These are questions that concern not only specialists in the field, but directly affect democratic institutions and the entire community.
It is precisely this topic that was particularly significant to the Universal Peace Federation. UPF's mission is, in fact, founded on the promotion of peace through cooperation between peoples, institutions, and communities, and in the belief that human development cannot be measured solely through economic indicators. Technological innovations, however extraordinary, must also be evaluated based on their impact on individuals, human dignity, social justice, and the construction of the common good. From this perspective, the topic of artificial intelligence applied to finance is not just about economic growth or market efficiency. It also concerns the way societies distribute opportunities, wealth, knowledge, and decision-making power. It concerns the ability to ensure that the benefits of innovation are accessible to all and not concentrated exclusively in the hands of a few individuals with greater technological resources.
The debate clearly highlighted the point that the efficiency of algorithms can never be separated from the responsibility of those who design, manage, and use them. Financial decisions influence household savings, business investments, employment opportunities, and the economic stability of communities. For this reason, artificial intelligence cannot be considered a simple neutral tool, but must be embedded within a framework of shared values, rules, and responsibilities.
The meeting also highlighted the need for informed governance of technological innovation, especially those capable of combining progress, security, transparency, and the protection of fundamental rights. In this scenario, dialogue between the academia, public institutions, economic operators, and civil society appears increasingly essential in order to guide technological development towards authentically human goals.
The conference concluded with an agreement that any talks on the subject in the coming years will be well informed so that the future of finance will not depend solely on the power of algorithms, but also on the ability of institutions, businesses, and civil society to use these tools with responsibility, transparency, fairness, and respect for human dignity. Only in this way can artificial intelligence be transformed from a simple technological innovation to a true instrument of progress at the service of humanity and society.